by Kathy Kurap

The steps of the Church of the Beatitudes, Ibillin

We feel welcomed, comfortable and grateful in this place of hope.

Ibillin, a village much larger than many of us imagined, is our home for the first four nights and three days of our Israel/Palestine Study Tour. The Mar Elias Guest House, located on the sixth and highest level of the Mariam Bawardi Elementary School, offers us a place of warm hospitality, clean, comfortable accommodations, panoramic views of the village of 14,000 and a rooftop from which to see Mt. Carmel in the distance, sunrises in the east, sunsets over the Mediterranean and the vast night sky above us.  Morning brings the Muslim call to prayer in the distance, roosters welcoming the daylight and playful sounds of children coming to school. Samar, our hostess, has a strong faith and an inspirational spirit. We are blessed to be here.

It’s an honor to see what others helped to accomplish.

The school has a special meaning for a number of our trip participants. Two mothers from Michigan have grown children who participated in youth mission trips to Ibillin close to 20 years ago to help in the building of Mar Elias.   The students we met today were genuinely pleased and impressed to hear that, always responding with a grateful, “Thank you!” Another participant, Heidi Borter, had come with two of her aunts to personally deliver a memorial gift and letter to Abuna Chacour because her father, the late Rev. John Borter had led youth mission trips here years ago. The experience of working here had made a significant impression on him for the rest of his life. All three women felt the ties to their family here in this place of hope.

While cultures may be different, the hearts and energy of young people are quite similar.

Saturday is a school day at MEEI, and we were able to interact with a number of teachers and students. Our group visited a 9th grade English class of students studying reading comprehension lessons.  They laughed, spoke seriously and asked good questions when we spoke with them. A subsequent 5th grade English class had a dynamic teacher, Toujan teaching sentence structure. Both classes, although crowded with close to 40 students each, reminded us of being back in the classrooms as teachers. We were impressed with both teachers we met.

Students at Mar Elias School fill us with hope

I will gain weight on this trip, despite stairs, hills, rocky paths and quick treks through busy streets and narrow souks to get from one place to another. Our meals have been exceptional, carefully prepared by Baadia, our cook.

Today’s lunch and dinner was prepared by the parents of 14 students who have been chosen to make a trip to the U.S. in July to visit Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. What a feast! And what delicious desserts! Roll me home.

Mar Elias High School students fill us with hope.

Our extended visit with these 14 students was the highlight of our day. They were bright, excited, engaged and engaging in conversations with us. If you are in one of the congregations that will be meeting these Christian and Muslim Palestinians, you are in for a real treat.   If you have them as a guest in your home in Grosse Pointe, it will be hard to send them on to Wisconsin!

Mar Elias High School students who will visit the US this summer.

We continually give thanks to God for this amazing journey…

… and it is only our second day! Praise God from whom all blessing flow!

Interior of the Church of the Beatitudes, Ibillin